Body formed to trace illegal housing societies, LHC told

LAHORE:The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) on Tuesday told the Lahore High Court that a committee had been constituted to trace out illegal housing societies in the City.

A counsel of the LDA told the court that so far 62 housing societies had been found involved in violating the regulations of the authority. He said at least 241 societies had been found involved in violation of greenbelts.

Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan was hearing a petition against construction of housing schemes on green land areas and greenbelts.

The chief justice observed that illegal societies had been developed in the City due to inefficiency of the LDA and now millions of people lived there. He also wondered how basic facilities of gas and electricity had been provided to these illegal societies.

Chief Justice Khan regretted that the budget of the LDA was in billions of rupees but its performance was zero. He noted that the illegal societies had been allowed to continue their construction work despite the stay orders.

The LDA’s counsel sought time to submit a detailed report on the actions being taken against the illegal housing societies. The CJ allowed the time and also directed the LDA to apprise about the fate of houses constructed in the illegal societies. The hearing was adjourned till Jan 18.